Counter-kicker for newspapers in a lapped stream



United States Patent Robert C. Gutberlet [72] lnventors Milwaukee; Frederic E. l-lowdle, Wauwatosa; George D. Simonds, Marinette, Wisconsin [21] Appl. No. 718,494 [22] Filed April 3, 1968 Patented Sept. 15, 1970 [73] Assignee Cutler-Hammer,lnc.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin a corporation of Delaware [54] COUNTER-KICKER FOR NEWSPAPERS IN A LAPPED STREAM 9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 93/93 [51] Int. Cl Bh 33/06 [50] Field of Search 93/932 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,033,969 3/1936 Zenke 93/93X 3,089,394 5/1963 Ravenbuehler 93/93 3,359,874 12/1967 Stegengaetal 1,841,711 1/1932 Cannon ABSTRACT: A mechanism is supported on a newspaper conveyor transversely of the paper stream. A solenoid operated pin is driven into the stream near one lateral edge to intercept the leading edge of a specified paper. The pin is then translated laterally outwardly of the stream transversely to the stream direction at a linear velocity equal to the stream velocity to arrest the forward travel of one corner of the paper and displace the paper angularly in the stream. The transverse movement of the pin is provided by a barrel cam driven through a single revolution clutch which is powered in synchronism with the conveyor. The operation is under the control of a counting system which, in response to adjustable set counts, electronically compensates for conveyor speed, distance between the counting and intercept points and solenoid operating times.

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D i CPI soL/ LS? SOLENOID I68 soLz I CLUTCH SOLENOID COUNTER-KICKER FOR NEWSPAPERS IN A LAPPED STREAM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to counting and identifying specified articles moving in a conveyor stream. More particularly this invention relates to a means of accurately identifying predetermined articles such as newspapers traveling in a lapped stream by uniformly displacing each predetermined paper with respect to the stream in response to a variably set counting means.

In newspaper plants, the newspapers are carried from the presses and folders in the pressroom to the mailroom in overlapped, or lapped stream, relationship by conveyors. The conveyor routes are often indirect and may comprise horizontal, vertical and angular runs joined by inverting twist sections and corner sections. The stream may have the leading edges of the papers overlapping or underlapping at different points according to the requirements of the mailroom or pressroom equipment.

Mailroom functions include the separation of the lapped stream into individual stacks or batches of papers containing certain specified amounts in each batch. It is often times desirable to provide a count and batch the papers according to the count while they are yet in the lapped stream. The individual batches are indentified by marking one paper which either completes a control batch or begins a new batch. Since it is undesirable to deface the product to be marked, a preferred manner of providing an identifying product is to displace it from its normal position relative to the lapped stream.

Various devices have heretofore been provided for displacing a specified paper relative to the lapped stream. One such device is described in the Rauenbuehler Pat. No. 3,089,394, issued May 14, 1963, wherein the mechanism is designed for use on the top of a horizontal conveyor run.

SUMMARY It is therefore.an object of this invention to provide a counter-kicker mechanism which may be used at any desired location along a lapped stream newspaper conveyor run.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a counterkicker mechanism which will accurately produce a uniformly displaced product without damaging the same.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a counter-kicker mechanism which is of rugged construction requiring little maintenance.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent in the following specification and claims when read in conjunction with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of a lapped-stream newspaper conveyor having the counter-kicker mechanism mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the conveyor and counter-kicker assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 5- 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram, partly in block form, showing the electrical control scheme for the mechanism; and

FIG. 10 is a developed profile of the barrel cam membe utilized in this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a short length of newspaper conveyor to which the mechanism of this invention is mounted. The conveyor comprises a pair of parallel mounted pipe frame members 2 to which a plurality of transversely extending rollers 4 are mounted. The shafts of rollers 4 are journaled for rotation at their ends within bearing blocks that mount rigidly to the pipe members 2. A plurality of wire belts 6 are positioned around the rollers 4 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and extend along the conveyor in each direction to additional like rollers (not shown). Similar wire belts 8 (FIG. 2) are positioned around additional rollers (not shown) which depend from the pipe members 2 to provide a lower set of conveyor belts for supporting the lapped paper stream PS.

Power is supplied to the wire belts 6 and 8 by drive rollers and drive belts, one set of which is shown in FIGS. I and 2 as driving the left-hand upper belts 6. Drive rollers 10 have their common shaft journaled to the conveyor frame similarly to the rollers 4. One end of the drive roller shaft extends beyond the frame and is connected to a chain 12 and sprocket 14 drive which extends along the outside of the conveyor frame to a drive motor (not shown). The drive rollers 10 are connected to the left-hand rollers 4 by a plurality of wire drive belts 16 to supply power to the belts 6. Similar drive arrangements are provided for the lower belts 8. Thus it can be seen that with properly directed rotational power supplied to the drive rollers, the lapped paper stream PS will travel between the upper belts 6 and the lower belts 8 in the direction of arrow A.

While FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose one common form of newspaper conveyor, it is to be understood that the conveyor may be of the various other constructions common to such conveyors and that the power source may comprise individual motors instead of the chain and sprocket drive, such motors being connected to a common power supply for synchronized operation. Furthermore, while a horizontal run of the conveyor is depicted in the drawings, the same may be a vertical run or inclined to the left or right. Additionally, the conveyor may be inverted to cause the lapped portions of the papers to be along the underside of the conveyor.

The counter-kicker mechanism of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as being mounted to the pipe members 2 of the conveyor on the side thereof at which the leading edges of the newspaper products extend and is positioned thereon in a space provided between an adjacent pair of rollers 4. A pair of support rails 18 are joined in spaced apart relation at their opposite ends by a pair of mounting plates 20 which are secured to the pipe members 2 of the conveyor frame by U-clamps 22.

The rails 18 further have a sole plate 26 secured to their underside along which the leading edges of the paper products are guided. Sole plate 26 extends beyond the rails 18 in the upstream direction and is terminated in an angularly inclined portion 26a to prevent the leading edges of the papers from counting assembly components disclosed therein but arranged on a modified support member to be mounted directly on the sole plate 26. To this end and with additional reference to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the counter C may be seen to comprise a five-tooth cogwheel member 28 rotatably mounted in the modified support member 30 which is in turn secured to the sole plate 26 over one of the openings 26d to allow the cogwheel 28 to extend therethrough into the paper stream PS.

A rotary pulser switch 32 of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent is secured to the support 30 and operatively connected to the cogwheel 28 to be rotatably driven thereby in a one-to-one ratio. A plurality of permanent magnet assemblies 34 are positioned around the periphery of support member 30 to provide a detent for the cogwheel. In operation the leading edge of a passing newspaper engages a depending tooth of the cogwheel to rotate that tooth upwardly out of the stream and the next succeeding tooth into position to be engaged by the following paper. The switch 32 produces five electrical pulses for each complete revolution thereof and since the cogwheel has five teeth, one electrical pulse is produced for each passing paper.

The kicker portion K of this invention is mounted to the supporting frame assembly comprising rails 18 and mounting plates 20 toward the side of the conveyor at which the folded edges of the papers are located. Kicker K comprises a pair of spaced end plates 35 and 36 connected at their upper corners by a pair of tie rods 38. A pair of shafts 40 and 42 also extend between the end plates 35 and 36 at the lower central portions thereof to further space the plates 35 and 36. Shafts 40 and 42 additionally serve as functional pieces of the mechanism as will be brought out in later description. A mounting bar 24 is secured to the lower edge of the end plate 36 to extend between the rails 18 and be secured thereto by bolts 44. The other end plate 35 is secured at its lower edge to one of the mounting plates 20 to complete the mounting of the kicker. A sheet metal enclosure 46 is provided to extend over the top and along the opposite sides of the kicker to protect the mechanism from the paper dust and lint prevalent in newspaper plants.

An impulse generator assembly I6 is mounted externally of the kicker housing on the end plate 35. Impulse generator IG comprises a cast bearing housing 48 having a pair of axially alined bearings 50 and 52 pressed therein. Bearing 52 also projects partially into an alined opening in the end plate 35. A multi-shouldered hub 54 is journaled for rotation within the bearings 50 and 52 and has an outwardly extending end to which is keyed a chain sprocket 56. A chain connection 58 extending between sprocket 56 and a second sprocket 60 keyed to the shaft of driven conveyor roller provides rotational power to the hub 54 which is directly proportional to the conveyor speed. A gear 62 is pressed onto the hub 54 within the housing 48 for direct rotation with the hub. A magnetic pickup impulse generator member 64 is secured to the housing 48 by means of a bracket 66 and is adjusted within the bracket to extend through an opening in the housing to a point very close to the periphery of gear 62. As the hub 54 and gear 62 are rotated, the teeth of the gear passing the probe of the impulse generator member 64 effect electrical pulses of the latter at a rate which is directly proportional to the conveyor speed.

The interior end of hub 54 is provided with a cylindrical bore into which is inserted the shaft of a single revolution clutch 68 (FIG. 3). The shaft of clutch 68 is keyed to the hub 54 by a square key 70 and set screw 72 to provide direct rotation between hub 54 and the input portion 74 of clutch 68. A main shaft 76 extends through clutch 68 and is journaled for free rotation within the input shaft. Main shaft 76 is keyed to the output end 78 of clutch 68 by a square key 80 and set screw 82. The opposite end of main shaft 76 is joumaled for rotation within a bearing assembly 84 secured to the opposite end plate 36.

Single revolution clutch 68 further has a clutch release ring 86 which is pivotally mounted on the output end by a pivot pin 88 (FIG. 7 A clutch release lever 90 is pivotally mounted to the shaft 42 and linked at its upper end to a spring biased plunger 92 of a clutch solenoid SOL2. Clutch solenoid SOL2 is mounted on the interior of the left-hand end plate 35 by means of a bracket 94. A spring 96 bearing between the solenoid casing and the link pin carried by the plunger 92 maintains the latter normally extended to bias the lever 90 into engagement with the periphery of ring 86. The upper end of lever engages a notch in the ring 86 to stop the latter with respect to the output end 78 of the clutch and pivot the ring about the pin 88 an amount sufficient to release the clutch pawls and disengage the clutch. It may be seen that electrical energization of the solenoid SOL2 will pull the lever 90 out of engagement with ring 86, allowing the latter to be returned to its normal position by means of a return spring 98 to engage the clutch and drive the main shaft 76. Once the notch in ring 86 rotates beyond the end of lever 90 the solenoid SOL2 may be deenergized to allow the lever to bear against the periphery of the ring 86 and engage the notch as it again rotates into position.

To insure that the main shaft 76 rotates precisely 360 and stops at the identical point for each operation, a band brake and positive stop lever and cam are included in the kicker (see FIG. 6). Positive stop cam 100 is keyed to the shaft 76 adjacent the output end of the clutch 68 and a brake wheel 102 is keyed to the shaft 76 adjacent the cam 100. The positive stop lever 104 is pivotally mounted on shaft 42 and has a hook shaped upper arm portion 106 which engages the periphery of cam 100. The lever 104 is biased against the cam 100 by a compression spring 108 which extends between the upper end of the lever 104 and an extension 94a of bracket 94. Cam 100 has a notch 110 formed at its periphery into which the arm 106 of lever 104 is biased when the notch rotates into alinement therewith. The uppermost surface of the arm 106 engages the trailing edge of the notch 110 to exactly reposition the shaft 76 upon each operation.

Lever 104 is further provided with an offset U-shaped extension 1l04a which has an upper pin 112 and lower pin 114 secured between the legs thereof. Pin 112 has one end of a band brake member 116 secured therearound between the legs of the portion 1040. Pin 114 has a clearance opening therein centrally of its end for receivinga cap screw 118. Band brake 116 extends around brake wheel 102 and is secured around a pin 120 at its other end. Pin 120 is provided with a threaded opening for receiving the threaded shank of cap screw 118 whereby the band may be drawn to the proper tension around brake wheel 102 by rotation of cap screw 118.

A spring pin 122 is carried by the main portion of lever 104 near the upper end thereof. Pin 122 extends across the pivotal path of clutch release lever 90 to be engaged thereby when solenoid SOL2 is energized. In this manner, lever 104 is rotated at a precise time with respect to the clutch lever 90 to withdraw the arm 106 from the notch 110 and to relax the band brake 116. It may be seen in FIG. 6 that as lever 104 is rotated counter-clockwise, the upper pin 112 will travel a greater distance than the lower pin 114 to thereby relax the band brake tension. This feature is provided to prevent the clutch from driving shaft 76 through the braking action. Once the notch 110 of cam 100 travels past the arm 106, the solenoid SOL2 may be deenergized since the length of the arm 106 bearing on the periphery of cam 100 is sufficient to maintain the lever rotated to the brake relax" position. When the lever arm drops into the slot 1 10 the brake is tightened to provide for a cushioned stop.

A barrel cam 124 is keyed to main shaft 76 by a square key 126 and set screw 128. The hub of barrel cam 124 is abutted against a pin 130 which is pressed into a transverse hole in shaft 76 near the brake wheel 102 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The shaft 76 is threaded at the portion thereof which extends from the opposite end of the hub of barrel cam 124 and a threaded nut 132 is tightened thereover to secure the cam laterally in place against the pin 130.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 it may be seen that shaft 40 is positioned directly below the main shaft 76. Secured to the shaft 40 for linear reciprocation therealong is a cam follower assembly 134. The assembly l34'includes a cast carriage member 136 having a cylindrical hub portion 1360 from which an inverted U-shaped frame portion 136b, extends substantially radially. A linear ball bearing assembly is provided within the cylindrical hub portion 136a to facilitate movement of the assembly along the shaft 40. Hub 136a is further proand 162 have a preferred arcuate length contour which is shorter than the necessary length for achieving the proper average switch actuation. Thus, by positioning one cam ahead or behind the other with respect to shaft rotation, the proper arcuate length and exact contact closure and opening times may be obtained. The determining factors of this adjustment formed in the rail member 18, thereby providing a second point of support for the cam follower assembly 134.

As viewed in FIG. 5, an upstanding boss 136d is formed on the right-hand end of cylindrical hub portion 136a to which a roller 146 is secured by a threaded bearing pin 148. Roller 146 extends into the track of barrel cam 124 and serves as the fol lower member for the cam follower assembly 134. As the cam 124 rotates with main shaft 76, the track of the cam translates the follower assembly in first the left hand direction and then the right-hand direction to return the follower assembly to its original position depicted in the drawings.

The upper surface of the bight portion of U-shaped frame portion 13611 is machined smooth and provided with a plurality of spaced, tapped holes 1362 (FIG. 3). A pin carrier member 150 is secured to the frame by means of a pair of screws 152 cooperating with a selected pair of tapped holes 1362. The plurality of holes 1362 provide an adjustment feature for the device whereby, for narrower or wider newspaper products, the pin assembly may be set to the right or left, respectively. Pin carrier member 150 extends into the open space of the v U-shaped frame portion 136b and has a downwardly extending, substantially cylindrical pin housing 150a. The lower end of pin housing 150a has an end cap 154 secured thereto. A cylindrical pin 156 is placed within the housing 150a to extend through a clearance opening in the end cap 154. The upper end of pin 154 is provided with an annular shoulder 156a which closely fits within the bore of the housing 150a to guide the pin for vertical reciprocal movement therein. A spring 158 bears between the shoulder 156a and the end cap 154 to bias the pin upwardly to a position substantially within the housing.

Mounted to the member 150 and extending over the open upper end of the pin housing 150a is a solenoid assembly SOLl. The solenoid SOLl is adjusted to have its plunger 160 in axial alinement with and bearing against the pin 156 at the upper end of the latter. In the deenergized position of the solenoid plunger, the spring 158 is somewhat compressed. When the solenoid SOLl is energized, the plunger thereof is extended to drive the lower end of pin 156 outwardly of the housing 150a through the end cap 154 and into the paper stream PS. Pin 156 extends to a depth whereby it will engage the leading edge of an oncoming paper without clamping down upon the trailing portions of preceding papers. While not specifically shown in the drawings the pin may be provided with an axial bore into which is pressed a nylon insert or the like to improve the wear and cushion the driving connection between the pin and the plunger of solenoid SOLl.

For accurate interception of a paper in the lapped stream PS and for uniform displacement of each intercepted paper, it is desirable that the pin be inserted into the stream simultaneously with the engagement of clutch 74. To this end both the clutch solenoid SOLZ and the pin solenoid SOLI are under the energization control of a single relay as will become more apparent in later description. However, the point of retraction of pin 156 from the paper stream is more critical than the release of the levers 90 and 104 and therefor the deenergization of solenoid SOLl is required to be under a separate and adjustable control. The separate control is made adjustable to compensate for the different operating times of individual solenoids.

The control for the deenergization of pin solenoid SOL] comprises a precision limit switch LS1 operated by a pair of sector cams 160 and 162 which are adjustably secured to main shaft 76. Limit switch LS1 is positioned over the sector cams 160 and 162 by a bracket 164 secured to end plate 36 of the assembly. A roller operator 166 extends downwardly from the switch LS1 toward the cams to be engaged thereby. Cams 160 will be elaborated upon in the following description of the barrel cam 124 as related to its developed profile shown in FIG. 10.

In connection with FIG. 10, reference will also be had to FIG. 5 for explanation of rotational directions and orientation. The cam profile as developed in FIG. 10 from left to right discloses a short period of dwell between the reference lines marked 0 and 45. The next increment takes on a straight line shape between the reference lines marked 45 and 180. This section is preferably constructed of a one-to-one run-to-rise ratio and propels the cam follower assembly at a linear velocity directly proportional to the velocity of the paper stream PS. At the 180 reference line the direction of the cam follower is reversed. The translational deceleration of the cam follower assembly in the portion of cam travel just prior to the 180 reference is very abrupt as is its acceleration when traveling from the 45 reference into the linear portion of the cam. The intercept pin 156 must be fully retracted from the paper stream before the follower assembly begins to return it to its initial position or it will interfere with oncoming papers. Preferably the translational travel of cam follower assembly 134 will carry the pin beyond the lateral edge of the paper stream PS (FIG. 5) and a certain amount of return travel with the pin extended may be permissible. However, in instances where the paper stream width is close to the termination point of the translational movement of the cam follower, the fully retracted point for pin 156 becomes more critical. Therefore, the cams 160 and 162 may be adjusted to allow for the deenergization time of the solenoid SOLl so that such deenergization occurs at a point very near, but rotationally ahead of the degree mark and wherein thepin will be fully retracted by, or at a point beyond, but very near the 180 mark.

The return translational travel of the cam follower assembly to the initial point with the pin retracted does not require that the linear velocity be maintained and therefore the profile of the cam between the 180 and 337.5 reference lines takes on the shape of a modified trapezoid. It may be seen that the acceleration and deceleration of the follower between these points is a gradual change to prevent undue stress on the mechanism, the translational movement therein being harmonic motion. This portion of the cam profile then enters a dwell period to join at the 0 reference line. In FIG. 5, the 0 and 360 reference line of the cam are to be taken as that point as shown engaging the cam follower roller 146. The cam rotates with shaft 76 through a single revolution in the counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. Therefore, the degree reference lines of FIG. 10 should be taken with reference to FIG. 4 as beginning at the aforementioned 0 point and increasing in the clockwise direction around the cam to return to the 360 point.

In FIG. 9 there is shown a control circuit for the device. The circuit is broken into two parts, one a counting circuit shown in block form schematic and the other a kicker circuit shown in diagrammatic form. The counting circuit utilized herein is of a highly acceptable type for applications where operations are to be performed on particular moving objects such as newspapers on a conveyor and is substantially the same as is disclosed and claimed in Loeffler Pat. No. 3,027,817 assigned to the assignee of this invention.

The electrical requirements for the device may be supplied from a regulated D.C. power supply 168 fed by a 117 volt, 60 cycle A.C. source. Power supply 168 is chosen to deliver a low voltage D.C. to the counting circuit and a higher voltage, on the order of 24 volts D.C., to the kicker circuit. The various block form components of the counter circuit are con- The rotary pulser switch 32 is shown in FIG. 9 as comprising a set of normally open contacts actuated by cog-wheel 28 and a counter relay board. As hereinbefore described the contacts close to actuate the counter relay and send a pulse through a pulse former 170 to an electronic paper counter 172 for each passing paper. Paper counter 172 is adjustable to be set for the desired number of papers and has provisions for automatically adjusting the setting, either by a programming circuit or by an N(Nl) circuit 174, or both. The latter circuit provides for one less product than the number set on the counter 172 for every other count-out of the paper counter. Upon reaching the desired count, the paper counter 172 sends a pulse to a gate circuit 176 and resets itself.

Since the paper providing the desired number is counted upstream from the point at which the pin 156 is to be inserted, a time delay is necessary in the energization of the solenoid SOLl. This is accomplished by a delay counter 178 which,

upon receiving the pulse from the gate circuit 176, begins counting pulses received from the impulse generator IG which relates pulses to conveyor speed to indicate travel. However, another factor is involved in pin solenoid actuation, that being the fixed length of time required for the control relay CR to close and the solenoid to drive the pin into its extended position. Therefor, a fixed time compensator 180 is inserted between the impulse generator 1G and the delay counter 178. Compensator 180 is gated simultaneously with delay counter 178 and its setting made variable within certain limits since, as mentioned earlier, the operating times for individual relays and coils vary.

The delay counter 178 is connected to a reset pulse generator 182 and a relay driver 184 to operate both simultaneously when it has counted out. The pulse reset generator clears the delay counter while the relay driver 184 energizes the control relay CR through a .1 sec. clamping circuit 186. The solenoids SOLl and SOL2 are connected to a pair of normally open contacts CR1 and CR2 respectively of the relay CR. Limit switch LS1 is connected around the CR1 contacts to take over the control of solenoid SOLl once it is energized.

OPERATION Let it be assumed that the counter-kicker mechanism is mounted on a conveyor section as hereinbefore described, and that at some point is is desirable to count the papers that pass thereby and indicate every twenty-fifth paper while the papers are still in the lapped stream conveyor. The paper counter 172 is therefore set to 25 and the N(N1) circuit 174 is disconnected by opening a switch 175. The operating times of the relay CR and solenoid SOLl have been determined and the appropriate setting is provided on the fixed time com.- pensator 180. The folded edge of the papers in the stream PS is to the near side when viewed as in FIG. 2 and therefore the mechanism is mounted to the near side of the conveyor. The paper width indicates that the pin carrier member 150 be mounted in the particular holes 136e of frame portion 13612 as shown in FIG. 3. The conveyor speed and paper width dictate that the pin 156 should be fully retracted before reverse travel of say one-quarter inch. Therefore, with the knowledge of the operating time of the solenoid SOL2, the cam is rotated to the proper point before the 180 mark and the cams 160 and 162 are adjusted to release the roller lever 166 of limit switch LS1. The pin will then be fully retracted by the time the cam has rotated the required number of degrees to provide reverse direction travel of the follower assembly an amount of onequarter inch.

As the papers begin to travel in the conveyor, the cog-wheel 28 is rotated one-fifth revolution by each passing paper. The pulse recording the twenty-fifth paper is sent to the paper counter 172 which in turn sends a pulse to the delay counter 178 and the fixed time compensator 180 through the gate 176 and resets itself to receive the next incoming pulse from counter relay 32. The delay counter begins counting pulses from the impulse generator lG through the fixed time compensator 180, and upon reaching the predetermined count,

sends simultaneous pulses to reset itself and operate the relay CR through the relay driver 184. p

Relay CR is energized to close its contacts CR1 and CR2, thereby simultaneously energizing the solenoids SOLl and SOL2. Solenoid SOLl causes the pin 156 to be driven into the paper stream PS just as the leading edge of the paper ,approaches the slot 26b in sole plate 26 to intercept that paper near a comer of the leading edge thereof. Solenoid SOL2 retracts its spring biased plunger 92 to pivot lever away from the clutch pawl ring 86, the latter thereby engaging the clutch 74. The lever 104 is also pivoted away from the locating cam by means of lever 90 abutting spring pin 122, and the tension of brake band 116 is released.

The main shaft 76 iihaeaimi 132555555; thebarr el cam 124 to cause the cam follower assembly 134 to move the extended pin 156 laterally outwardly of the paper stream PS in the transverse direction. The transverse linear velocity of the pin is identical to the forward velocity of the stream. As the rotation of the main shaft 76 begins, the .1 sec. clamp circuit times out to deenergize relay CR to drop out solenoid SOL2. However, the cams 160 and 162 have operated the limit switch LS1 at this point so that solenoid SOLl is now under the control of limit switch LS1. The levers 90 and 104 now engage the respective peripheries of ring 86 and earn 100 to await the return rotation of the respective notches therein.

As the pin 156 translates laterally outwardly of the paper stream, it arrests the forward motion of the twenty-fifth paper at the corner to displace that corner in a 45 direction as may be seenin FIG. 1 at the count paper CP. As the cam 124 rotates toward the point the cams 160 and 162 release limit switch LS1 which deenergizes solenoid SOLl to retract the pin 156 above the path of the stream prior to its reverse translation to the starting point.

As the shaft 76 continues to rotate around, the notch on ring 86 engages the top of lever 90 to disengage the clutch and the arm 106 of lever 104 drops into notch 110 to apply the brake band 116 to brake wheel 102 and positively stop the rotation when the trailing edge of notch 110 engages the lever arm 106. The mechanism is then ready to receive its next energization from the counting circuit. 7 I Thus there is disclosed herein a counter-kicker mechanism which provides for accurate repetitive operation through a plurality of positively driven elements. The mechanism does not rely on gravitational forces and may be used in any desired position on a conveyor, including up-side down with respect to the foregoing description. The mechanism is designed with various adjustments to provide fiexability in employment. While but a single preferred embodiment has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the mechanism is subject to various modifications without departing from the nature of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

1. For delineating successive groups of predetermined numbers of articles conveyed in a stream in overlapped relation, the combination comprising:

a member normally laterally positioned intermediate the edges and out of the plane of the article stream;

means operable to extend said member into the plane of the stream and into the path of an oncoming article to abuttingly engage the leading edge of that article;

means operable to drive said member laterally of the stream path to a position adjacent a stream edge to effect displacement of the engaged articles orientation with respect to the stream axis;

means operable when said member reaches its last mentioned lateral position to retract said member from the plane of the stream;

means operable when said member is retracted to positively return said member to its first mentioned lateral position; and

means including control means responsive to each successive group of said predetermined numbers of articles to 9 ihtitate and direct operation of each of the aforementioned means in the aforestated sequence.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said member is normally laterally positioned to one side of the central axis of said stream of articles, and wherein movement of said member laterally of the stream path is a straight line motion directed toward the nearer lateral edge of said stream and at right angles to the stream axis.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said movement of said member laterally of the stream path is at a linear velocity equal to the velocity of said stream.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said movement of said member laterally of said stream path terminates at a point beyond the nearer lateral edge of said stream. I

5. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said means operable to drive said member laterally of the stream path, and said means operable when said member is retracted to positively return said member to its first mentioned lateral position includes:

barrel cam means;

means for rotating said barrel cam means through a single revolution; and

cam follower means cooperating with said barrel cam means and having said member operatively mounted thereto for movement therewith.

Ihgcom bi ation according to claim 5 wherein said barrel cam means has a cam profile which includes a linear portion for providing the first mentioned lateral movement of said member at a linear velocity equal to the velocity of said stream.

7. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said means for rotating said barrel cam means and said means for extending said member include counting and timing means for simultaneously initiating extension of said member and rotation of said barrel cam means upon the arrival of the leading edge of a predetermined one of said articles at a point in said stream wherein extended member will engage the leading edge thereof.

8. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the mounting of said member to said cam follower means may be adjusted laterally of the stream path to accommodate different widths of product streams.

9. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said member is a pin member slideably mounted within a housing secured to said cam follower means, together with spring means biasing said pin member out of the plane of said article stream and wherein said means operable to extend said member into said stream includes electromagnetic means operable to drive said pin into the plane of said stream against the bias of said spring means. 

